Cuban Jews Ready for Passover, Says Leader of Havana Community

Cuban Jews have received their Pesach food shipments and are ready to celebrate the Jewish holiday, said Dr. Jose Miller, head of the Cuban Jewish community, who appeared Tuesday morning on “CBS Morning News” broadcast from Havana.

CBS News host Harry Smith interviewed Miller as part of the network’s coverage of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s fist visit to Cuba, Smith also spoke to Miller’s brother, David, and David’s son Joe in Miami, as Jose Miller sat at Smith’s side.

The Havana surgeon, smiling and laughing, said he had no problems and no desire to leave Cuba.

Nephew Joe said in Miami that he lamented the fact that he could not know his cousins, that “we cannot be in temple together and pray together.”

Jose Miller is president of the Comunidad Hebraica, the Jewish community of Cuba.

The Canadian Jewish community sent Pesach foods to Havana, and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation will be sending a shipment of wine and shmura matzah direct to Havana from New York shortly.